Russian films have a proud history of storytelling, with the likes of Andre Tarkovsky, Sergei Eisenstein and Sergei Bondarchuk having a global influence on the medium. After a brief fertile post-Soviet period where restrictions on artistic expression were lifted, Russia’s drift back to authoritarianism has seen the state again aim to obtain a monopoly over the means of expression.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is continuing unabated and Stephen Hill asked Dr Greg Dolgopolov Associate Director of the Russian Resurrection Film Festival what is the current state of Russian film and how much it has been affected by the 2022 national security laws that impose lengthy jail sentences on any form of communication critical of the government
Image: Image: Baby in carriage falling down the Odessa Steps [Battleship Potemkin] – Wikicommons
Produced By: Stephen Hill
Featured In Story: Dr Greg Dolgopolov, Senior Lecturer in Film and Associate Director of the Russian Resurrection Film Festival
First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 29 October 2025